Means for moving miniature boats.



L. E. MYERS.

MEANS FOR MOVING MINIATURE BOATS.

. APPLICATION HLED JUNE I2. 19]?)- 1 1 98,568. Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

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L. E. MYERS. .MEANS FOR MOVING MINIATURE BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12' 1915 Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

fnventon L E Myers,

By M. an;

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L. E. MYERS.

MEANS FOR MOVING MINIATURE BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. I915.

Patented Sept; 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Invention LOUIS E. MYERS, OF

@FFXQ.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

- MEANS FOR MOVING MINIATURE BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application filed June 12, 1915. Serial No. 33,851.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LoUIs E. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Moving Miniature Boats, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to means for moving miniature ships through miniature locks such as those in representations on a small scale of canals, and has been espe cially designed for the representation of the Panama Canal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition at San Francisco.

The object of the invention is to provide such means which will appear to the spectator to operate in a manner resembling as closely as possible that of the means actually employed, and in which all manipulation of the mechanism will be entirely concealed from the spectator.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a plan view of a portion ofa lock equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a broken l0ngitudinal vertical. section thereof on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the apparatus; Fig. l is a plan view of a detail thereof.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a lock of a canal having side walls 2. Traveling on tracks lon said walls are cars 5 resembling electric locomotives, each of which carries av fine cord 6 normally wound i by a spring 7 on a drum within a containen S on the locomotive, the outer end of said The inner end of said catch is secured to a flat V-shaped holder 11, which is aper tured in a direction coaxial with the catch and the free end of the cord is passer through said aperture and a knot formec therein. Said holder is received in a mouth V-shaped in a vertical direction, in the one of a tube 12 extending from said container so that the tension of said spring, transmit ted to said cord. and always tending to draw the inner end of said V-shaped holder int said tube, maintains the catch in a hori zontal position, which, as will hereinafte appear. is that suitable for the performance 1 of its function.

As is explained in United States Letter Patent No. 1,171.972, each ship is brough into proximity with the look by means of magnet carried on atruck running on ship is no longer under the influence of said magnet. It has, however, by said magnet been brought into proximity with a stationary electro-magnet 14 located beneath the lock and is attracted thereto when said magnet is energized. This energization is effected by the closing of a suitable electric circuit by an operator beneath the bed of the miniature ocean who is apprised of the approach of the ship to the look by a despatcher located above the panoramic representation equipped with a powerful binocular, who, on perceiving the arrival of the ship at the proper position, communicates that fact to the saidoperator by a light signal or by telephone. Depending from the front end of the keelof said ship is a bar 16, from the lower end of which extends rearwardly a wedge 17 which is received between upwardly and forwardly extending arms 18 pivotally supported upon standards 19 located upon. a plate 21, and which are .normally drawn together by springs 22 coiled around said standard, said arms having forwardly extending free ends 523 which contact with one another when said arms are thus drawn together. Stops 2-l extending from the upper ends of said standards limit the! rearward or inward movement of said arms. Said arms thus form an angular guide which, by engaging the wedge 17, in conjunction with the stationary eleotro-magnet, holds the ship in proper position to be connected with the electric locomotives as hereinafter explained.

Said operator now pulls a handle 26 which is attached to ends of two cords 27 which extend first within the hollow lock Wall to its top and then over pulleys 28, which extend through openings in the wall, then downwardly without the wall and by its inner side and under pulleys 29 secured to the plate 21 fixedly secured in the bed of the lock, and then around horizontal pulleys plate 21, then to vertical pulleys 34, 36 on opposite sides of the lock, and then up wardly and over pulleys 37, 38. secured level of the water on opposite sides of the lock and fixedly secured to arms 42, 43 piv- 32, 33 rotating about pins secured to the upon standards 39, 41, extending above the oted upon a central vertical pivot 44 secured on said plate 21. They then extend downwardly, and are secured to clamps L6, which are adjustably secured to vertical rods 47, which can slide through eyes 48 extending inwardly from said uprights at the top. The upper ends of said rods carry horizon tally extending lifters 1-9. When the operator pulls down said cords 27, said rods 47 are raised and their upper ends pass through inner loops 51 of said catches 9, and the lifters 49, which are of greater width than said loops, raise said catches. Said catches are thereby raised through a distance corresponding to the distance through which the clamps 46 can move before abutting against said eyes 48. The operator now pulls down cords 52 which extend over pulleys 53, in like manner as before explained for the cords 27, of which cords 52 one is connected directly to the outer end of one of said arms 42. while the other passes around a pulley 54, and is connected to the other arm 43. The outer ends of said arms are slidably supported upon a raised portion 56 of said plate 21 and are confined by the cross plate 57 thereon. The operator thereby draws said arms 4L2 and 43 together until the standards 39 and 41 thereon contact with the between.

From. the keel of the ship depend rods 61,

which support an armature 62 for the purpose of being drawn by the movable electromagnets, as explained in my companion application hereinbefore referred to and by the elector-magnet 14, and from the front end of said armature extend laterally guide plates 63 which can be engaged by portions 6% of said standards 39 and 41, and by this means the ship can be prevented from tilting about a. horizontal axis. Also secured to the ship at the upper portion of its sides is a transverse guide plate 66, the ends of which have angular recesses 67, forming guides adapted to engage said rods 47, when said arms 42, 43 are moved inwardly as just explained. said rods l7 being pressed into the innermost portions of said recesses and thereby accurately locating the ship in the exact position necessary for the further operation hereinafter described. From said guide plate 66 extend upwardly vertical hook members 69, each terminating at the top in a hook 68, extending first, rearwardly and slightly downward, and then rearwardly and upwardly at an angle of 45 with the horizon. The operator next draws down a handle and therewith another pair of cords 71, which are guided over pulleys 7 2 in like manner as the first-named pair of cords, and pass around a pulley 73 located on the axis of the arms and then around pulleys 74 on the bottoms of said standards and are then connected to the clamps 46. He thereupon draws down said rods 47 and in so doing places the outer loops of said catches 9 on the upwardly and rearwardly pointed ends of said hooks 68, whereupon the further drawing down of the cords 71 has the eflect of entirely drawing away the lifters 49 on the rods 47 from the inner loops 51 of said catches, leaving the outer loops of the catches engaged by the hooks 68, so that the catches 9 now form a direct means of communication between the ship and the electric locomotives. The operator now pulls down another handle which draws down cords 7 6 which pass around pulleys 77 and are connccted, the one directly to the nearer arm 43 and the other to the farther arm l2 after passing around a pulley 78. He thereby separates said arms from each other and thus withdraws the standards 39, 41, from contact with the sides of the ship and with the guide plates 63. WVhen the despatcher observes that the ship has been properly connected with the electric locomotives he signals the fact to the operator, who thereupon turns drums around which are wound cables by means of which the locomotives are caused to move along the tracks and the ship passes into or out of the lock.

I claim 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a ship, a lock wall, a tractor thereon, an extensible connection extending from said tractor having a terminal device, a member carried by the ship and provided with means for operatively connecting it to said terminal device, and mechanical means for engaging said terminal device and transferring it to said member on the ship.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a ship, lock walls, tractors thereon, an extensible connection extending from each tractor and having terminal devices, members carried on opposite sides of the ship provided with means for connecting it to said terminal devices, and means adjacent to the lock walls for engaging said terminal devices and transferring them to said members on the ship.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a ship, lock walls, tractors thereon, means for drawing a ship forward between the lock walls, an extensible connection extending from each tractor and having terminal devices, members carried on opposite sides of the ship and provided with means for connecting it to said extensions, and means adjacent to the lock walls for engaging said terminal devices and transferring them to said members on the ship.

4. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a ship, lock walls, tractors thereon, means for positioning the ship between the lock walls, an extensible connection extending from each tractor and having terminal devices, members carried on opposite sides of the ship and provided with means for connecting it to said extensions, and means adjacent to the lock walls for engaging said terminal devices and transferring them to said members on the ship.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of an extensible cord, a loop secured to said cord, a ship, a hook on the ship, a standard, a vertically movable rod, a lifter on said rod, and means'for vertically reciprocating the rod comprising pulleys respectively located at the bottom and top of said standard, and cords around said pulleys, and attached to ends of the rod.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a loop secured to said cord, a ship, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, standards, vertically movable rods, lifters on said rods, and means for vertically recip rocating the rods comprising pulleys respectively located at the bottom and top of said standards, and cords around said pulleys and attached to ends of the rods.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of an extensible cord, a double-loop catch secured to said cord, a ship, a hook on said ship, a standard, a vertically movable rod, a lifter on said rod, and means for vertically reciprocating the rod, comprising pulleys respectively located at the bottom and top of said standard, and cords around said pulleys and connected to ends of the rod.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a double-loop catch secured to said cord, a ship, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, standards, vertically movable rods, lifters on said rods, and means for vertically reciprocating the rods comprising pulleys respectively located at the bottom and top of said standards, and cords around said pulleys and connected to ends of the rod.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a loop secured to said cord, a ship,

.hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, standards, vertically movable rods, lifters on said rods, and means for vertically reciprocating the rods comprising pulleys respectively located at the bottom and top of said standards, at the sides of the lock and at the top of a wall of the lock and cords one end of each of which is operatively connected to the corresponding rod, said cords extending through said wall to a point below the same. 10. In a device of the character described,

below the surface of the water from the point of attachment to a point adjacent to the raised portion of the bottom, then above the surface of the water, and then through said raised portion above said surface.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a loop held by the free end of said cord, a ship between said walls, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having rearwardly and upwardly extending books at their upper ends, movable arms below' the ship, standards on said arms, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, lifters on said rods, means for vertically reciprocating the rods relatively to the standards, and means for horizontally swinging the arms relatively to the lock bottom.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a loop held by the free end of said cord, a ship between the walls, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having rearwardly and upwardly extending hooks at their upper ends, arms on the bottom of the lock pivoted at the middle of the lock to swing inward, standards on said arms, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, lifters on said rods, means for vertically reciprocating the rods relatively to the standards, and means for horizontally swinging the arms relatively to the lock bottom.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of an extensible cord, a double-loop catch held by the free endv of said cord, a ship, an upwardly extending hook member on the ship and having a rearwardly and upwardly extending hook at its upper end, an arm pivoted to swing horizontally, a standard on said arm, a ver tically movable rod guided by said standard, a lifter on said rod, means for vertically reciprocating the rod relatively to the standard, and means for horizontally swinging the arm.

14:. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a double-loop catch held by the free end of said cord, a ship, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having rearwardly and "upwardly extending hooks at their upper ends, arms on the bottom of the lock pivoted at the middle of the lock to swing inward, standards located on said arms, vertically mo able rods guided by said standards, lifters on said rods, means for vertically reciprocating the rods relatively to the standards, and means for horizontally swinging the arms relatively to the lock bottom.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a spring casing, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally Winding said cord on said drum, a loop attached to the free end of said cord, a ship, a hook on said ship, a vertically movable rod, and means for vertically reciprocating the rod.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a spring casing on each tractor, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally Winding said cord on said drum, a loop attached to the free end of said cord, a ship, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, vertically movable rods at the side of the ship, and means for vertically reciprocating the rods.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a spring casing on each tractor, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally Winding said cord on said drum, a loop attached to the free end of said cord, a ship, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having at their upper ends rearwardly and upwardly extending hooks, vertically movable rods at opposite sides of the ship, and means for vertically reciprocating the rods.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination of a spring casing, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled. spring for normally winding said cord on said drum, a tube extending from said casing and having a mouth V-shaped or flaring vertically, a holder attached to the free end of said cord, a loop secured to said holder, a ship, a hook on said ship, a vertically movable rod at the side of the ship, and means for vertically reciprocating the rod.

19. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a spring casing on each tractor, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally Winding said cord on said drum, a tube extending from said casing and having a mouth -J shaped or flaring vertically, a holder at tached to the free end of said cord, a loop secured to said holder, a ship, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, vertically movable rods at the side of the ship, and means for vertically reciprocating the rods.

20. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a spring easing on each tractor, a. drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally winding said cord on said drum, a tube extending from said casing and having a mouth v -shaped or flaring vertically, a holder attached to the free end of said cord, a loop secured to said holder, a ship, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having rearwardly and upwardly extending hooks at their upper ends, arms on the bottom of the lock pivoted at the middle of the lock to swing inward, standards located on said arms, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, lifters on said rods, and means for vertically reciproeating the rods relatively to the standards.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock Walls, tractors there on, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a loop secured at the free end of said cord, a ship, standards located on the bottom of the lock, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, standards, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, a guide plate secured transversely on the ship and having recessed ends adapted to receive said rods, lifters on said rods, and means for vertically reciprocating the rods.

22. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, t actorsthereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a loop secured at the free end of said cord, a ship between said walls, standards located on the bottom of the lock, forwardly converging arms movably supported on said standards, a device depending from the front end of the ship, a guide extending rearwardly from said device, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, and means to cause said loops to engage said hooks.

23. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a cord eXtensibly connected to each tractor, a loop secured at the free end of said cord, a ship between said walls, standards located on the bottom of the lock, an armature depending from the ship, an electromagnet beneath the bed of the lock, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, and means to cause said hooks to engage said loops.

24. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock Walls, tractors thereon, a cord extensibly connected to each tractor, a loop secured at the free end of said cord, a ship. standards located on the bottom of the lock, hooks located on opposite sides of the ship, arms on the bottom of the lock pivoted at the middle of the lock to swing inward, standards on said arms, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, a guide plate secured transversely on the ship and having recessed ends adapted to receive said rods, lifters on said rods,

means for vertically reciprocating the rods relatively to the standards, and means for horizontally swinging the arms relatively to the lock bottom.

25. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a spring casing on each tractor, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally winding said cord on said drum, a tube extending from said casing and having a mouth V-shaped or flaring vertically, a holder attached to the free end of said cord, a double-loop catch secured to said holder, a ship, standards located on the bottom of the lock, forwardly converging arms movably supported on said standards, a support depending from the front end of the ship, a guide extending rearwardly from said support, an armature depending from the ship, an electro-magnet beneath the bed of the lock, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having rearwardly and upwardly extending hooks at their upper ends, arms on the bottom of the lock pivoted at the middle of the lock to swing inward, standards on said arms, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, a guide plate secured transversely on the ship and having recessed ends adapted to receive said rods, lifters 011 said rods, means for vertically reciprocating the rods relatively to the standards, and means for horizontally swinging the arms relatively to the lock bottom.

26. In-a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a spring casing on each tractor, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally winding said cord on said drum, a tube extending from said casing and having a mouth V-shaped or flaring vertically, a holder attached to the free end of said cord, a double-loop catch secured to said holder, a ship, standards located on the bottom of the lock, forwardly converging arms movably supported on said standards, a support depending from the front end of the ship,- a guide extending rearwardly from said support, an armature depending from the ship, an electro-magnet beneath the bed of the lock, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having rearwardly and upwardly extending hooks at their upper ends, arms on the bottom of the lock pivoted at the middle of the lock to swing inward, standards on said arms, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, lifters on said rods, means for vertically reciprocating the rods relatively to the standards, and means for horizontally swinging the arms relatively to the lock bottom.

27. In a device of the character described, the combination of lock walls, tractors thereon, a spring casing on each tractor, a drum in said casing, a cord wound on said drum, a coiled spring for normally winding said cord on said drum, a tube extending from said casing and having a mouth V-shaped or flaring vertically, a holder attached to the free end of said cord, a double-loop catch secured to said holder, a ship, standards located on the bottom of the lock, forwardly converging arms movably supported on said standards, a support depending from the front end of the ship, a guide extending rearwardly from said support, an armature depending from the ship, an electro-magnet beneath the bed of the lock, upwardly extending hook members located on opposite sides of the ship and having rearwardly and upwardly extending hooks at their upper ends, arms on the bottom of the lock pivoted at the middle of the lock to swing inward, standards on said arms, vertically movable rods guided by said standards, a guide plate secured transversely on the ship and having recessed ends adapted to receive said rods, lifters on said rods, means for vertically reciprocating the rods relatively to the standards comprising pulleys respectively located at the bottom and top of said standards, at the sides of the lock and at the top of a wall of the lock and cords oneend of each of which is operatively connected to the corresponding rod and means for horizontally swinging the arms relatively to the lock bottom, comprising pulleys secured at the sides of the lock and at the top of the lock wall and cords attached to said arms and leading around said pulleys, all of said cords extending through said wall to a point below the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS E. MYERS.

WVitnesses:

JAMns H. Hoon, ETHEL NOLAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

